Mending Broken Sparks
by DarknessRising10
Summary: This is a spin-off of the story 'All That You Are'and this is Ratchets side of the story. After an explosion the twins will need him more than ever, but has he got what it takes? How does one damaged spark result in the need to heal three? TwinsxRatchet
1. Chapter 1

**September 2012:** When formatting this story to post on LiveJournal, I spotted mistakes that I could not leave so I have reposted chapters 1 – 3 with minor tweaks.

**A/N:** After writing my first FanFic 'All That You Are' I had already decided I would write a spin off centred around Ratchet and the events that led up to the first story, but I let myself become side-tracked by a few other fics. Anyway, I finally decided to do it before I became swamped with other ideas.

**Warnings:** Nothing for this particular chapter but later chapters will have mech pairings (nothing heavy). As for how far the relationship between the twins actually goes, that is for you to decide, depending on your preference.

**Disclaimer:** This is a piece of fiction. No harm was intended in the creation of this work. All rights belong to the original creators.

* * *

><p>As a veil of dust settled it revealed two frames, the first, golden paint marred with scorch marks and pitted with fragments of metal. Optics flickering irregularly accompanied with a groan that escaped the vocaliser. The second frame was twisted and torn, with optics devoid of life, staring ahead.<p>

The surrounding mechs could not process the scene and not a word was vocalised for a nano-klik or two. The first of them to react had been Ratchet and he was knelt down over a lifeless Sideswipe, his spark faltering as he looked over the damage, it was carnage.

He barely moved as his processor struggled to take in what he was seeing. The red chest armour was no more, as though vaporised and what armour was left on arms and legs, was either torn or charred. An optic was cracked and a dent in the helm continued above it. Cables and wires that usually lay protected under the chest plates were melted with broken energon lines leaking all over them, and as horrific as all this was, the worst was yet to come.

The part that protected the very essence of the mech on the ground, the spark chamber, was shattered and the usually luminous glow from within, was now barely visible.

Feeling as though he had knelt there for joors, Ratchet felt a servo on his shoulder.

"Ratchet, are you okay?" The vocaliser of Optimus Prime was deep and full of concern.

He turned his helm to face the Prime, his face unable to conceal the pain he felt but as the worried optics of his leader looked back at him, the medic in him suddenly snapped into action and he shouted instructions over his shoulder. "Wheeljack, check Sunstreaker over _now_! Jazz comm. First Aid and tell him to prepare the med bay! Skyfire, I need to get them back to the Ark stat! And Prowl, how about some cover in case 'Cons are still lurking!?"

Looking around at stunned mechs he snapped, _"Well,_what the pit are you all waiting for!?"

Optimus waited until the orders stopped and asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

"Start praying to Primus" was all he received in response.

* * *

><p><strong>Back in the med bay…<strong>

The monitors attached to the two fallen front liners were struggling to pick up the single beat which gave two lives but there wasn't any time to wait for the machines to detect the life signals, so the medics got to work.

First Aid set about repairing the small amount of damage to Sunstreaker's cables and wires, none were life threatening but left unrepaired, would hinder his recovery and right now, they needed Sunstreaker's strength to filter through the bond.

At another berth, Ratchet deftly worked on Sideswipe. He needed to stabilise him quickly if he was going to even attempt to work on the damaged spark and save his life, to save both their lives. The medic was fully aware that if he lost Sideswipe, Sunstreaker would soon follow and he was not prepared to let that happen. For now he would have to carry out patch repairs, just enough to stop the further loss of energon.

Finally enough work had been carried out and various lights on the monitor stopped blinking, indicating that the mech was out of one danger, but now the hard work started in order to eliminate the other danger lurking over them.

Pulling out instruments that he always kept hidden away, in hope that he would never have to use them, Ratchet carefully laid them on the tray next to him. What he was about to do required absolute concentration and a steady servo so the last thing he needed, was to be fumbling around for tools. All other mechs with the exception of First Aid, who still worked on Sunstreaker, and Wheeljack, who would help monitor Sideswipe's vital signs, were ordered to stay away from the med bay. Any unexpected interruptions could jeopardise the fragile life below him and rubbing a servo over his face to clear he processer, he picked up an instrument and bent over the damaged frame.

He could not allow the sight of the faltering spark to affect him, there was already an ache in his own spark but he ignored it as right now, he was a medic and nothing more. Moving his servo towards the open chamber he slowly pulled out the first shard of metal from within, feeling the tiniest vibration given out by the spark which was only detectable by the finally tuned sensors in his servos. Dropping the shard into a tray, he turned to tackle the next piece but he was startled by a crash and a shout from behind him.

Sunstreaker had come back on-line and although he did not have the energy to get up from the berth, he gave a feeble attempt at fighting off a startled First Aid. As he had been unconscious, they had decided not to put him into stasis in order to keep the bond as strong as possible between the twins but they had not expected him to come back around so soon. Wheeljack, who had seen him come back on-line before First Aid had, rushed to the second medic's side to help calm the larger mech down.

"For the love of Primus, is it too much to ask for some peace and quiet whilst I work!?" and grumbling obscenities that no other mech would dare use, Ratchet pushed his way between First Aid and Wheeljack.

Looking at Sunstreaker he could see that the mech was in pain, agony even, and he knew the cause of this. Looking over at the monitor attached to Sideswipe he saw what little signal there was dip and as it did, a pained cry left Sunstreaker.

This was not good as Sideswipe was clearly taking a turn for the worse and time was running out, for both of them, but Ratchet could not leave Sunstreaker like this. If he put him into stasis, he risked closing off the bond between the two and that could be fatal but he needed to calm Sunstreaker down.

Quickly moving to a cabinet, he filled a syringe with fluid and returning, he injected the mild sedative into a line running through the younger twin's neck. The reaction was instant and Sunstreaker stopped fighting, frame laying still but optics still alight, pleading at him. The CMO rested a servo of reassurance on a shoulder and watched as Sunstreaker cried out again, before he fell back into unconsciousness while an alarm went off on the monitor across the room.

Ratchet and Wheeljack rushed back to Sideswipe's side and Wheeljack spotted a pool of energon under his frame. "Ratchet, there must still be a broken energon line somewhere!"

"How the frag did I miss that!" he shouted at the Engineer. "Help me turn him on his side, it must be from his back."

As they turned him they saw a thin trail of energon trickle from a broken line. There was no time to wonder how this had been missed as if this was not remedied now, then no amount of work on the spark was going to help the injured front liner. Leaving Wheeljack to patch up the damage, Ratchet pulled another machine over to the berth and opening a small port in the arm hidden by the twisted armour, he attached a tube leading from the machine. Switching it on a slight whirring was heard followed by the pink hue of energon coursing through the empty tube into the prone frame.

Opening the flow to the fastest speed possible, it took a few nano-kliks before energon was dispersed through all the vital areas but eventually the alarm stopped. Slowing the flow, Ratchet turned to face Wheeljack and the engineer could see something behind the optics of his friend, he knew the secret that was hidden and touching a white shoulder as he passed, he returned to the monitor and started to read the stats out.

"Energon levels at twenty five percent and rising…processor signals, faint responses…spark beat…" and pausing to dispel some air from his vents "still unreadable."

There was no response from the medic.

"Ratchet!?"

The white frame remained motionless.

"Ratchet, you need to act now!" Wheeljack urged. "This is our last chance, his energon levels may be rising but if the rest of his stats drop any further then there will be nothing more you can do."

The medic slowly looked at his friend and quietly asked, "What if it's already too late?"

By now First Aid's attention was also on the CMO, he had never come across a defeated attitude from his superior and he was not sure how to handle this. Luckily for him, Wheeljack and Ratchet went back millennia and although this behaviour was extremely rare, Wheeljack knew the best course of action.

Moving around the berth Wheeljack gripped Ratchet and roughly shook him. "Do not glitch out on us now Ratchet!" he demanded. 'Do you really want to be responsible for the Decepticons claiming the lives of two of our mechs?"

Ratchets optics darkened in response but still he said nothing.

Wheeljack continued. "You know there isn't anyone else even remotely capable of saving that spark and there are two lives depending on you!"

Finally Ratchet snapped back. "I _cannot_ do this, there is far too much damage. I made a simple mistake by missing that severed energon line and now I've made things worse!"

"You _a_re the best in your field Ratchet but that doesn't mean that you're not susceptible to mistakes!" The Engineer was now shouting.

"But I don't have the luxury of making them!" the medic stated.

"Everyone makes a mistake at some point, and _you_ Ratchet are not fallible!" Then in a gentler tone he asked, "So are you going to allow something like this to deactivate the two mechs I know you more than care about? I know how much this is hurting you as you could never hide anything from me but think about how much more this will hurt if we lose them."

This comment earned a surprised look from First Aid and the CEO glanced past Ratchet at the mech listening, he knew he would get a wrench to the helm later but this had needed to be said.

"Ratchet, the twins have been let down enough in their lives and for all your venting at them, you are the only one whose attention they crave and you've always been there for them." There was a slight twitch from the frame in front of him and bracing himself in case that wrench made an appearance, he carried on. "Yes they were their usual hot headed selves out there but they were protecting the minibots so do you think they deserve to be let down by you now!"

This seemed to be what Ratchet needed to hear as he finally came around and turning to his assistant behind him he ordered, "keep Sunstreaker calm if he comes around again." Then realising that First Aid had been party to what Wheeljack had said, he added "and not a word of what you heard leaves this room!"

First Aid nodded his helm silently and returned to his work on Sunstreaker. Ratchet was now back at Sideswipe's side, preparing to work on his spark again but not before he added, "And later Wheeljack, you and I need to have a little conversation!"

Wheeljack allowed himself a smile which was hidden behind his face mask, the Ratchet he knew was back.

* * *

><p>In the central control room of the Ark, Optimus Prime, Prowl and Jazz were watching the security cameras and the silent events that had unfolded within the med bay from where they had been banished. They did not know what was being said but they knew something was wrong and all let out a collective vent of relief when Ratchet returned to Sideswipe.<p>

Optimus knew that all mechs would have a crisis of confidence at some point, this pit of a war had broken some of the best mechs he had known but if Ratchet lost it not only would he lose his bravest, if sometimes stupid warriors, he would lose the most prolific expert on his team and probably his oldest friend. He had seen enough breakdowns to know that personalities were drastically altered and sometimes, the effect was irreversible.

Luckily for the Prime, the one mech that was capable of getting through to his medic was in that room and he thanked Primus that he had succeeded.

None of the mechs watching the monitors spoke as they continued to watch Ratchet start work again.

* * *

><p>Several joors had now passed and Ratchet was still bent over Sideswipe, he had not stopped pulling shard after shard from the weak spark and the surrounding area. His optics ached but he could not risk even a spec of metal being left behind.<p>

First Aid had finished working on Sunstreaker and although the mech continually drifted in and out of consciousness, there was nothing more he could do for him. The assistant medic was now stood opposite Ratchet working on replacing wires in Sideswipes abdomen, mindful not to get in the way of his superior.

Wheeljack read out the stats from the monitor. "Energon levels, ninety percent…processor activity, still faint but no deterioration…spark beat, now registering but slow."

The Engineer watched the servos of the two Medics working away and then he noticed a pause in First Aids.

"Sir." The assistant ventured, "Do you not think you should take a break now that a few stats have improved?"

First Aid held his air in his vents, waiting for the profanities that would usually be thrown at anyone suggesting the CMO was in need of a break, however, all he received was a grunt in response.

The younger Medic looked at Wheeljack, silently asking him to encourage the older to rest.

"First Aid is right." Wheeljack encouraged. "It will not do either you, or Sides, any good if you are too drained of energy!"

"I will rest when his spark is safe!" And picking up a small scanner, Ratchet checked over the area to see if any further shards could be detected.

The lack of a warning alarm from the scanner indicated that all debris had been extracted and Wheeljack spoke again "There you go, you've successfully removed the shards now will you please take a break?"

Ratchet, relieved that the scanner had remained silent, peered back inside of the chamber and he could see that there was a slight increase in the glow of the spark. However he knew that there was still a long way to go and looking up from Sideswipe for the first time since he recommenced his work, he checked his energon levels and answered, "I will take some energon, but I will not stop until the chamber is repaired."

The Engineer decided that this was better than nothing so made his way to the energon dispenser in the corner of the med bay and filled three cubes. They all needed a little boost as this had been a long solar-cycle and as of yet, there was no end in sight. When he returned to where they worked Ratchet was nowhere to be seen but Wheeljack soon heard him in the store room at the back.

"Materials needed to rebuild the spark chamber." First Aid informed him as Ratchet returned with various items in his servos.

The instruments that had been used to work on the spark with were now packed back away and First Aid laid out a new set while Ratchet laid the materials he needed on another tray. When he finished he wordlessly accepted the energon being offered to him, took a mouthful and set it down on the tray beside him.

Wheeljack rolled his optics. "As if that is going to help." he muttered.

First Aid went back to working on the wires and cables, able to work higher up the frame now that Ratchet was busy cutting and bending material into the required forms. The CEO admired how well these two seemed to work together. He knew Ratchet always preferred to work alone but when the occasion arose that two pairs of servos were better than one, the two medics seemed to be so in tune with each other.

Finishing what he was doing, Ratchet finally spoke. "'Aid, I have to get alongside the spark so I need to you to hold back as many components as you can." His vocaliser was subdued and flat and Wheeljack knew his friend would not be able to hold out much longer without re-energising.

"Ratch…" he pleaded "please at least finish your energon before you continue."

This gained a glare from the medic. "Wheeljack, I suggest that if you wish to remain in my med bay you leave me to work!"

Wheeljack was slightly taken aback by the response from his friend but was relieved to see that despite the aggression, Ratchet picked up the cube and finished the energon.

Another joor passed and the welding being carried out by the CMO stopped. Straightening himself up he shuttered his optics for a nano-klik to try and stop the aching there. The ache in his optics was not the only thing plaguing him and he raised a servo to his chest, rubbing in the vicinity of his own spark.

All that was left to do, aside from a few minor repairs, was to wait. Although the beat still extremely slow, now that the spark chamber was sealed, Sideswipe was stable. Looking over at Sunstreaker's monitor, Ratchet asked Wheeljack to give a final reading from Sideswipe's monitor and as the stats were relayed to him, he could see that the two monitors were in perfect unison.

* * *

><p>"Now you rest!"<p>

All three mechs turned to the direction of the vocaliser; none of them had heard Optimus enter the med bay.

"But…" The CMO tried to retaliate but was interrupted by his Commanding Officer.

"I will have no argument from you Ratchet. I have watched every nano-klik of the work going on in here and if I feel the need to recharge, then I hedge my bets that you need to too!" Looking over at Sideswipe and Sunstreaker in turn, he told the medic "Wheeljack and First Aid can fill me in on the current situation, now rest…and this is an order!"

Ratchet realised that he did not have the energy to argue with the Prime so he nodded his helm and made his way to his private quarters which led off the med bay. Lying down on his berth, he stared at the ceiling whilst many thoughts buzzed around his processor. Images of the explosion and the twins sprawled unconscious on the ground. Sideswipe's exposed spark, almost extinguished and the agonising cries of pain that had come from Sunstreaker.

Checking his internal clock, he noted that it was the early hours of a new Earth day and he was surprised how long he had worked for. Tiredness now quickly took over him and he succumbed to recharge but it was disturbed as the images continuously replayed themselves.

* * *

><p>Waking from recharge, Ratchet checked his internal clock again and he saw that only a couple of joors has passed. He remained where he was as his processors came back on-line fully and he recalled the previous solar-cycle. He felt every nano-klik of the time he had worked bent over Sideswipe and his frame ached with stiffness. Stretching his joints he pulled himself onto the edge of his berth and up onto his pedes, and he made his way into the med bay.<p>

The room was in darkness with the exception of the light given off by the monitors. He walked up to Sideswipe, checked the readings and then moved onto Sunstreaker. Neither of them had improved much, but neither had they deteriorated which was a good sign.

Knowing that now they were stable there really was nothing else to do but also knowing that he would not be able to recharge anymore, he decided to go outside to get some fresh air and clear his processor. The sun was only just beginning to rise over this part of the Earth and the coolness of the morning was welcomed as it hit his aching frame, but would it help his aching spark?

"Damn those wretched twins!" he growled to himself as he walked outside. "Will they never learn!?"

Moving away from the Ark, he allowed his processor to recall the events from the previous solar-cycle.

**Flashback…**

_The Autobots held their positions a short way from the perimeter fence and waited for Bumblebee and his team to report back with their findings. He had spied the twins from the corner of his optic and he could see that they were getting restless with all this waiting and a restless pair of twins, was never a good thing. _

_Carefully sidling his way over to them so to not attract attention from any possible nearby Decepticons, he hissed at them. "Keep still you fraggers, unless you want to get slagged!"_

"_Aww Hatchet, we didn't know you cared!" Sideswipe answered in mock surprise at him._

_Sunstreaker grumbled. "At least if the Decepticons attacked us it would give us something to do!"_

"_It wasn't the Decepticons slagging you that I was referring to!" The medic growled at the front liner and giving them one of his 'just try me!' looks, he made his way back to where he came from._

_As he got back into position, the yellow scout and his crew exited a gap they had cut in the wire fence and made their way back towards where the medic hid with their Prime and his seconds, to report their findings. All the time he kept an optic on the twins and could see them continue to fidget, until something that caught Sideswipes attention, caused the red mech to still. _

_He assumed that Sideswipe must have communicated to Sunstreaker through their bond as he saw the golden twin's optics follow to where Sideswipe's gaze led and there ahead of them, Soundwave was stood aiming a blaster at the group of retreating minibots. Before Ratchet had time to react, the front liners had looked at one another and without a word, they launched themselves from where they had hidden and quickly made their way towards the enemy._

_Finally coming to his senses Ratchet startled the other Autobots as he bellowed across to them. "SUNSTREAKER! SIDESWIPE! STOP!"_

_The twins were now at their destination but Soundwave, being alerted by Ratchet's cry, had already left and what happened next would shatter the older mech to the core._

_As the rest of the Autobots ran to catch up with the twins, they were halted by an explosion that came from the direction that they headed and stopping in their tracks, they saw the two front liners thrown backwards and to the ground. Both started to get back up and as Sideswipe, now minus his chest armour, shakily got onto his pedes, a second explosion went off hitting him square in his chest. The mech never stood a chance and his systems were off-line before his frame hit the ground._

_Sunstreaker never made it onto his pedes for as soon as his twin was hit the second time, with a strangled cry of pain, the golden mech crumpled to the floor._

_All around him not a 'bot moved but Ratchet found himself now knelt beside Sideswipe and what he saw, he could not process._

**End Of Flash Back**

"Fragging, slagging, glitches!" He growled again as his tried to clench the tension out of his servos. "Well they've got their death wish now!"

He could never keep up with these two, they definitely had a thirst for battle and as the true front liners that they were, they were always the first to pitch in and the first in his med bay. Sitting on some rocks, the medic vented as he thought of all the times he had had to repair them and how many times he promised them that each time would be the last because the next time, they could _slagging rust in Unicron!_ But he knew deep inside, he would never abandon them.

As much as the twins were a pain in his aft, his spark ached for them and he could not comprehend how he had even considered giving up on saving them several joors earlier. He would never have forgiven himself if he had let them deactivate and he was thankful that Wheeljack had been there to help him see sense.

Wheeljack was the only mech who knew of the medics feelings, and he had planned on keeping it that way, but the last solar-cycle had changed things so maybe it was time for him to be honest and he prayed to that they would come back on-line soon.

Ratchet allowed himself a small smile as he thought of the constant stream of pranks that they had played on him over the stellar-cycles, the red twin being the ring leader and the golden one, never being one to let his twin down, would help set up the more elaborate pranks. Ratchet had learnt over time that it was all in the name of attention that these pranks were carried out.

The medic also thought about how different the two were, Sideswipe was full of boundless energy and considering what he had been through in his life, he always had a positive outlook, yet Sunstreaker, the quieter of the two had a temper that you should never provoke. There was a lighter side to him that only his twin could bring out but that dark streak could make him dangerous.

No one could deny that the marriage of the two personalities was formidable, both on and off the battlefield, and Ratchet had been thankful on more than one occasion for the front liners lack of fear, but why on Primus could they not wait for the scout's intelligence on this occasion!?

Having sat watching the sun rise higher in the sky, Ratchet decided it was time to check on his patients. When he arrived at the med bay doors he detected something that made him pause and he found himself peering through the window. What he saw caused his spark to flicker wildly.

Sunstreaker was now up and had moved to Sideswipe's berth. The golden mech was sat with his twins' helm cradled in his arms with the once red frame stretched out in front of him, one of his servo's stroking at the newly repaired spark chamber.

The Medic knew from experience that something was going on over their bond and as he continued to watch them, his optics picked up in the tiny change of signal from the spark monitor. This was quickly followed by the faintest flicker of blue from the lifeless optics, a flicker so faint that lesser experienced optics could have missed it.

Afraid that he would miss anything further, Ratchet did not dare move. Then there was a second flicker. Only nano-kliks longer than the first but all the same, it had happened. Ratchet finally dispelled the air that he had been holding and although he still felt the ache in his spark, another familiar feeling settled in and he raised a servo to his chest.

How he wanted to be in that room with them, to hold them and tell them that they would be okay, that he would take care of them, but as overwhelming as that desire was, he knew that he would be intruding and that he would have to wait. There was so much emotion emanating from the med bay that there was no room for anyone, so shuttering his optics for a nano-klik, he cleared his processor. Taking one last look at them, Ratchet made his way up the corridor.

As he walked away he could not help the smirk that formed on his lips, how he was going to enjoy telling Prime and his fellow 'bots that the terror of the twins would haunt the Ark once more.


	2. Chapter 2

**September 2012:**When formatting this story to post on LiveJournal, I spotted mistakes that I could not leave so I have reposted chapters 1 – 3 with minor tweaks. Chapter 4 is in slowly being written

**A/N:** Okay, So my single chapter spin-off developed a second chapter after being asked a couple of times if there would be any more to this story, and then having my arm twisted from across the ocean, and various time zones, by Acidgreenflames…yes AGF, you know who you are!...I eventually found myself unable to concentrate on the next chapter of another fic and I started playing around with this one instead.

This chapter picks up from where the original story 'All That You Are' ended, so for those who are only just picking up with this, you may want to read that first to understand one or two references.

There are lyrics used at the end of the story and I apologise for those who don't particularly like song fics but as the story that this originated from was inspired by a song, I thought I would use one here. The song that immediately jumped to mind when planning this chapter was Adele's version of 'Make You Feel My Love' (also sung by other artists) and it does a far better task of describing the emotions than I could ever write.

**Warnings:** Mech pairings (nothing heavy). As for how far the relationship between the twins actually goes, that is for you to decide, depending on your preference.

**Disclaimer:**This is a piece of fiction. No harm was intended in the creation of this work. All rights belong to the original creators.

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><p>Twin Bond <em>~ text~<em>  
>Comm Link :- text -: <strong>Lyrics<strong>  
>Joor – Hour<br>Solar-cycle - day  
>Deca-cycle - week<br>Stellar-cycle - year

* * *

><p>Completely oblivious to the azure optics watching through the med bay window, Sunstreaker let the song he had played over the bond to his twin come to an end. As it did, he continued to send love and encouragement to him while all the time, stroking the newly repaired spark chamber and willing the small flicker of light within the optics below him to become more static.<p>

Although the optics continued to faintly flicker, the front liners patience was rewarded with a pulse returned back through the bond followed by, ~ _So Sunny found a song then!_~

Sunstreaker resisted the urge to cuff the older of the two around the helm in fear of damaging him further and while he kept up with the pulses of his love, he held back the fear he felt as Sideswipe told him, ~ _It hurts Sunny, it hurts so much! _~

Pulling the prone frame tighter into his clutch, Sunstreaker whispered, ~ _I know Sides, I can feel it_ ~ And although he had desperately wanted Sideswipe to come back on-line, he did not want him to feel the pain.

~ _You need to recharge now Sides, that way you won't feel anything. _~ Sunstreaker had no idea if this would be true but he felt he had to tell him something.

Sideswipe did not need to be told twice as he slipped into recharge and once Sunstreaker was happy that this was all it was, that he had not gone back off-line, retaining his position he finally allowed himself to shutter his optics and join his twin.

* * *

><p>As Ratchet turned at the end of the corridor that led from the med bay, and after the thoughts of what havoc the twins would live to wreak on them all had settled in his processor, the smirk on his lips faded as the relief that flooded through his frame left him overwhelmed.<p>

The Autobot Medic had lived through many atrocities over several millennia on Cybertron before crashing down on Earth, saving and loosing countless mechs along the way and although nothing could detract from the dark moments that only the sparkless would not have experienced during those times, he had never before felt such an ache in his own spark as he had over the last solar-cycle. He honestly thought his spark would break.

To see the two hellions halted in their tracks by the explosions, to then watch life almost ebb out of Sideswipe knowing that Sunstreaker would shortly follow was too much for him to bear. Although he had protocols in place that would take over when required, should emotions get the better of him, as after all how could he heal another if he were falling apart, he had struggled to remain detached and almost broke down in the middle of it all.

Now he found himself in a deserted corridor, his back against a wall which held his frame upright while he over ventilated in order to quell the rising urge to purge his tanks. Eventually no longer able to hold his own weight, he slid down the wall and did nothing to supress the sob that left his vocaliser. He did not care how long he had sat there as the sobs wracked through his frame, for the time had finally arrived for his breakdown. For millennia he had been strong, never faltering in what he did, but every mech had a breaking point and now he had met his helm on!

So absorbed as he was with the emotions he had not known were there, he did not hear a door slide open opposite where he sat. Neither was he aware of the mech that walked towards him, crouch down to his level and place a servo on his shoulder.

"Primus Ratchet, what the pit has happened?"

Startled at the sound of a vocaliser so close to him, Ratchet jerked his helm back, smacking it against the wall. Focusing his optics on the face in front of his, he found Wheeljack staring back at him.

"Have the twins taken a turn for the worse?"

Ratchet, slowly regaining control, shook his helm in response.

Wheeljack was worried at seeing the no-nonsense medic subdued like this. He had seen him face some tough periods in the time he had known him but this had clearly knocked the air out of his vents.

The CMO did not want to look at the Engineer so turning away, he spoke to the empty corridor. "My actions could have caused them to deactivate 'Jacks. If you had not been there…" he trailed off.

At this, Wheeljack tightened his grip on the large white shoulder and firmly told Ratchet "but I was there, they did not deactivate and you would not have let them do so, whatever the circumstances!"

Ratchet turned his helm back and looked into the friendly optics in front of him but he said nothing further.

"Come into my lab, unless you want to someone to see you like this?" Wheeljack attempted to help raise Ratchet to his pedes.

Deciding that it probably was not a good idea for any of the crew to see him in this weakened state, Ratchet composed himself and pulled his frame from his seated position with Wheeljack's aid.

Once the door of the lab slid into place behind them, Wheeljack turned and said, "I'm guessing that this really has less to do with what happened in the med bay and more to do with your feelings towards the twins." Remembering that Ratchet had threatened him with _a talk_ some joors ago, when he had revealed his secret in front of First Aid, the Engineer tentatively asked, "Are you going to confess to them how you feel?"

Ratchet shrugged his shoulders. "As I sat watching the sunrise earlier I resolved that I would not waste any further time and tell them, but now, now I wonder if it is the right thing to do."

His azure optics faltered slightly but before Wheeljack could respond he added, "It's one thing that that they vie for attention through their pranks, who can blame them for the constant search of affirmation that someone cares enough to take notice, but for me to reveal my…my feelings towards them, if they are unreciprocated, then to be rejected by them will be a blow but to cause them any further distress, well that would be the heaviest burden to bear!"

Wheeljack could almost feel the desolation in Ratchet's words and he fought the urge to shake the mech in front of him so instead he suggested, 'Why don't you stay here and try and recharge, then when you've cleared your processor you may feel differently.'

Ratchet shook his helm. "I've left the med bay unattended for too long."

Knowing he was not going to succeed in talking the medic out of his duty, Wheeljack decided not to push things any further, for now. "Then we will speak later." But Ratchet was already out of the door.

* * *

><p>Back outside the med bay, Ratchet found himself looking through the window again and he saw that the twins were unmoved from the position he last saw them in. Sideswipe was laid on the berth with his helm cradled in Sunstreaker's arms, optics still devoid of light, while the latter sat with his helm bowed looking over his injured twin. Sunstreaker's other servo was resting on the newly repaired spark chamber below him but the stroking had stopped and his optics were now also dark.<p>

"Frag!" The medic muttered. "He had better be in recharge and not unconscious again!" Flying through the doors into the room, Ratchet took a scanner out of sub-space as he ran over to the berth.

Running the scanner over the once pristine golden frame, he detected various processors idly running in recharge and relief flooded his own frame once again. Glancing at the monitor still attached to Sideswipe, he noticed that his stats had improved further but the spark beat was erratic so he reached for the data pad on the trolley beside the berth to record the readings. Keeping his optics on the monitor and not watching what he was doing, he knocked the pad to the floor and in the silence of the early Earth morning, the clatter echoed around the med bay.

As Ratchet's movements froze he saw Sunstreaker's frame twitch and he slowly came out of recharge, weakly growling, "Can't a mech slagging recharge in peace!?" The front liner un-shuttered his optics and as they settled back on the frame he held onto, he failed to stop the cry of shock. It was almost as though he had forgotten what had happened and was seeing Sideswipe for the first time again.

The spark contained in the white chest pulsated wildly and the ache Ratchet felt increased. Seeing the twins in this state was torture and despite his misgivings about telling them how he felt, he wasn't sure how much longer he could stop himself from reaching out to them.

Sunstreaker, loathed to take his optics off his twin, moved his gaze to the medic stood watching him. "Ratchet…" The medic's designation was spoken in a little more than a hushed tone. "Why is he still in so much pain?"

Hearing the crack in his vocaliser as it fought against the full extent of the emotion threatening to break free from the front liner, Ratchet took air into his vents in order to steady his own vocaliser, telling him, "That is the spark healing Sunny."

"But it hurts so much!" Sideswipe's pain was evident on Sunstreakers face. "You have to stop his pain!"

The CMO wanted to reach out and touch the mech, offer him comfort but he remained where he was.

"I told him if he recharged he wouldn't feel the pain but I can still feel it, he can still feel it!" Now his voice was full of pleading. "He needs to be in stasis Ratchet!"

"I cannot do that Sunstreaker, he needs the bond between you both to remain open, he's dependant your strength!"

Ratchet knew of the fear that both twins had of being in stasis as it meant that they no longer had control, so for Sunstreaker to all but beg him to shut his twin down, meant Sideswipe must have been in a pit full of pain. "I would prefer not to do this as his feeling pain can help guide us to damaged areas, but I can shut off his pain receptors, yours too."

Sunstreaker considered this carefully and deciding he could not bear to think of his twin in any further pain, but also taking in what the medic told him of the spark healing, he told the medic, "Shut the pain off for Sides but leave me, I want to feel his pain as I need to know he's healing!"

"Then you will need to lay his helm back on the berth so I can access the circuits there." Unsure if front liner would do as he was asked, Ratchet waited patiently.

Hesitant to let go of his twin, Sunstreaker gently shifted his frame and laid Sideswipe back on the berth. Ratchet opened a panel on the side of his helm and slipped his digits inside, nan-kliks later he pulled them out and slid the panel shut again. Sunstreaker felt a slight dull in the pain but he still felt it none the less.

"Now it will be better if you go back into recharge, it will keep you calm and help Sides in the process." In response, Sunstreaker slid his frame alongside Sideswipe. "In your own berth" Ratchet added "I need to carry out further repairs and you will be in the way."

Ratchet received a growl as he lifted the arm that was now draped across Sideswipe's chest so with a raised vocaliser he commanded, "You are not helping Sunstreaker, now move to your own berth before I have to slagging carry you there myself!" The surly Ratchet resurfaced when being disobeyed in his own med bay.

Sunstreaker glared at the CMO but obeyed and unsteadily climbed off the berth. Ratchet, seeing that he was not still strong enough on his own pedes, made his way around to where the mech stood and as he reached out to help steady him, Sunstreaker dropped to his knee-joints, his servos gripping onto Ratchets waist for support.

Momentarily shocked at the contact, Ratchet relaxed his frame and pulled the fallen mech into him, burying the dark helm into his chest in order to absorb the sounds that tumbled out of the vocaliser. Not a word was said as there really was nothing he could say.

Eventually only the sounds of the monitor echoing Sideswipe's spark beat could be heard again and Ratchet silently pulled Sunstreaker back onto to his pedes, leading him to the empty berth before urging him to lie down. As he turned to walk away from the younger twin, a servo reached out and grabbed his, the gold in contrast to the cherry red. Turning back to Sunstreaker, he looked at the optics still dark with the pain that they felt and they pleaded with him not to go.

It was an extremely rare occasion that the golden front liner needed comforting and now the opportunity for Ratchet to let at least one of the twins know how much he cared had presented itself. Believing that his actions would not be rejected, he climbed onto the berth next to Sunstreaker and wrapped himself around his frame in a comforting embrace.

He was not met with any resistance but was surprised when Sunstreaker curled into his embrace, the younger mech relaxing into him as he quickly slipped into recharge. After savouring the feeling of the frame beside him, and content that the mech was fully recharging, Ratchet shuttered his own optics and allowed himself to rest.

* * *

><p>Wheeljack, being concerned for his friend, made his way to the med bay to check on him and looking through the window, he spied the recharging mechs. A smile formed behind his face mask as he took in the white frame wrapped around the blackened gold frame and he mused on how right they looked, the only thing missing was Sideswipe by their side.<p>

Deciding to leave them in peace, he turned away to find Optimus Prime walking down the corridor towards him.

"How are the patients doing?" The Prime asked.

"They are making a slow recovery but a recovery all the same." The Engineer replied.

The Autobot Commander heaved a vent of relief. "That is good news."

He now peered through the window himself, his optics taking in the sight of Ratchet and Sunstreaker. With a smile that was also hidden by his mask, but evident in his optics, he turned to Wheeljack and stated. "It is about time too!"

Both mechs chuckled at that comment before walking away.

* * *

><p>A deca-cycle had now passed since the explosion and Ratchet had discharged Sideswipe from his care. He was relieved to able to do so but deep down, he knew he would miss the twins company and as they would not enter the med bay of their own free will, unless setting him up for their next prank, the next visit would more than likely be through injury.<p>

Venting to himself he cleaned the empty berths down, it was so quiet. Normally the medic would relish this silence as it meant all mechs were safe and well but after the whirlwind of the twins, and even in Sideswipe's weakened state he could make his presence known, the silence was deafening.

As he cleaned, he allowed his processor to wander and he thought of the events of the deca-cycle. Almost losing the twins, comforting Sunstreaker, repainting Sunstreaker's armour and rebuilding Sideswipe's and somehow, still managing to get pranked by the injured front liner. There was an involuntary smile as he recalled that memory.

**Flashback…**

"_Okay Sides, it's time to fit your new armour." The medic walked towards the armourless frame with a freshly painted chest plate in his servos. "We'll start with this and then we will replace the pieces on your arms and legs."_

"_'bout time too Hatchet, I was beginning to feel you were enjoying keeping me exposed there!" Sideswipe failed to supress his mirth._

"_Do not think that you are too sick to not have a wrench to the helm" Ratchet grumbled. "Now sit up!"_

_Sideswipe did has he was told and Ratchet fitted the chest piece into place. Satisfied that it was secure he started working on replacing the parts that had remained after the explosion but were far beyond repair. The only sound in the med bay was the clicking of plates and whilst working on Sideswipe's lower legs, Ratchet took a moment to glance up at the face above him. _

_He thought how unusually quiet the mech was but he was just greeted with a wide grin, now Ratchet just knew that he was up to something._

_Fitting the final piece into place, the CMO stepped back and instructed Sideswipe to stand so he could inspect the new armour. Slowly walking around Sideswipe's frame, Ratchet asked, "How does it feel?"_

"_It's too small!" The newly armoured mech answered._

_This stopped Ratchet in his tracks. "What do you mean it's too small?" And he walked back around to face Sideswipe._

"_It's too small, too tight…" Then more slowly, as if explaining to a youngling, Sideswipe continued. "As in…it…does…not…fit!" _

_Ratchet studied the face in front of him and he narrowed his optics. "That is impossible!' He retorted._

"_I'm only telling you how it feels." Came back the deadpan response._

"_It's the same size as your last one you glitch!" Ratchet was adamant that there was nothing wrong with the armour._

Sides shrugged. "_Well I guess there lays the problem!" The front liner's face remained blank throughout the conversation, too blank for Ratchet's liking. _

_The medic looked over at Sunstreaker; the golden mech was laid on a berth with his back to them, seemingly ignoring the conversation. "Sunstreaker, tell your twin to stop being such a glitch!" The CMO commanded._

_Sunstreaker remained in his position but shouted over, "Sides, stop being a glitch!"_

_Ratchet's patience was now wearing thin. "Well it's the only armour that you are getting, so however it feels you had better get used to it!" _

_The gruffness in his vocaliser belied the concern inside. He did not understand how the armour could be too small but the last thing he wanted was for Sideswipe to feel uncomfortable._

"_It's not my fault." Sideswipe was now whining at him. "Clearly all this inactivity has caused me to…now how do the humans put it…oh yes, to put on weight!" There was not even a twitch on the poker face looking at the medic._

_Ratchet processed what had been said and completely aware that he was about to sound like Prowl, he said, "But that is completely illogical, you cannot… _put on weight!"

_Suddenly the Medic could hear stifled laughter coming from the berth and looking over, he could see Sunstreaker's frame shaking. He had clearly been aware of the entire conversation, which was probably why he had turned his back on them but these last comments had obviously been too much for him._

_Looking back at Sideswipe, Ratchet was met with wide innocent optics. _

_"What!?"_

_Knowing that he could not throw the front liner out of the med bay, and with the urge to throw a wrench growing, he simply walked out himself. _

_Peals of laughter where shut off as the door slid shut behind him and although the medic was cursing them out, he stopped to look through the window back at the mirth being shared by the twins. As he watched he could not help but smile himself, it was good to see the twins back to themselves, despite what it meant for the Ark._

**End of flashback**

Even the med bay seemed to miss the twins, although everything was in its usual pristine order, the room looked dull. Still cleaning a berth, Ratchet had his back to the door as it slid open and for once he welcomed the intrusion.

Turning to greet his visitor, one of the last mechs he expected to see stood there was Sideswipe, looking resplendent in his new armour the medic noted.

Ratchet's vocaliser failed him so Sideswipe was the first to speak. "Hey Hatch…um Ratchet." The younger mech sounded nervous. "I was thinking, you spent a lot of time working on me, nursing me back to health…and you built me all this new armour…"

Ratchet finally found his vocaliser. "As is my duty Sideswipe."

"But still, you did all that for me, for us, and it's not the first time you've done it yet we never thank you."

Ratchet remained silent.

"So anyway," The front liner continued. "I was wondering if you would join me, and Sunny, after sun fall? Hound says that if tonight is clear we can see the meteor shower that'll pass just above here."

Ratchet's spark jumped in his chest at the prospect of spending some alone time with them, not repairing them, but he was wary of the twins and their pranks. "You want _me_ to join _you_, tonight?"

"Yes!"

Sideswipe's face showed faint signs of worry which brought a small flutter to Ratchets spark. "Okay, I will join you." The response was greeted with a vent of relief. "But if this is some kind of joke Sideswipe, I swear to that you will be wearing trash for armour!"

With his custom grin now growing on Sideswipe's face, and failing to hide his excitement, he vocalised, "That's great Hatch…Ratchet. As the humans say…it's a date!"

As Sideswipe left the med bay, Ratchet sat on the edge of a berth, his spark was beating so wildly now that it made him giddy and silently he prayed that this was not a set up.

* * *

><p>The time had arrived for Ratchet to meet the twins and as instructed via a comm-link, he made his way along the well-trodden pathway that led up the side of the volcano to a hidden ledge. As he rounded a few rocks he found Sideswipe stood waiting for his arrival, nervousness evident on his face. He then clocked Sunstreaker who was sat further away on the ground, his arms wrapped around his knee joints and he turned his helm only slightly in acknowledgment.<p>

The red mech was now beside Ratchet grabbing a servo. "Come." He urged. "Sit. We'll have a great view from here."

As Ratchet sat, Sunstreaker gave a small snort.

"What's up with him?" the medic asked.

"Ah, you know Sunny, he has no passion for the planet's beauty."

Ratchet stared at the mech in front of him and wondered if he had inadvertently messed with his programming. Although crazed when out on the battle field, the place where he and his twin thrived when they were not being blown up, Sideswipe had always had a zest for life but had been indifferent to the planet that they were stranded on and now he was babbling on about _the planet's beauty_. Hound would be proud of him.

Sideswipe was now sat next to Ratchet and both lent back on their servos to steady themselves, the CMO sensing the dark digits near his own.

"So Sideswipe, why did you _really _ask me here?"

There was a nano-klik of silence before he received a response. "Like I said, to thank you."

"But all you had to say was thank you." The medic stated.

"Where would the fun be in that?" Sideswipe was now grinning at him and Ratchet's spark started dancing at this sight.

The white and red mech wondered if this night-cycle should be the time that he admitted his feelings to them but as he glanced at the closed off stance of the golden mech sat a short distance away, he felt that the news may not be welcome.

An awkward silence had now fallen over them and Ratchet turned his attention back to Sideswipe. He could see the younger mech was lost in thought and he realised that he must be communicating with his twin through their bond. He studied Sideswipe's face to see if it would give anything away.

Sideswipe pleaded.~ _Sunny, please join us._~

~ _I don't see the point._~ Sunstreaker replied.

~ _But I thought you wanted this as much as I do. _~ Sideswipe was starting to feel distressed that his twin did not seem to want to be here.

Sunstreaker felt Sideswipe's distress bleed through their bond ~ _Sides it's not that I don't want to be here, with him, I'm just not sure this is the right time. Anyway, how do you know he won't reject us!_~

Sideswipe could feel his brother's uncertainty. ~ _He won't reject us, I know he won't _~

~ _How can you be so sure Sides? What has he ever done for you to believe that he'd ever want to be anything more than our medic? _~

Sideswipe thought it was incredulous that Sunstreaker should question this ~ _Hasn't he repaired us time and time again? _~

~ _Yes and each time he threatens to leave us to _rust in Unicron_ next time we injure ourselves _~

~ _But he doesn't! _~

~ _'Cause it's his duty to repair us! _~

Sunsteaker seemed to have an answer for everything Sideswipe threw at him but not one to be deterred, Sideswipe tried one more avenue. ~ _What he did in the med bay, after I was…well you know, what he did was more than his dut_y. ~

Sunstreaker was now looking over his shoulder at his twin, trying to figure out what he meant. ~ _Enlighten me then brother. _~

Hesitating before answering, the older twin looked the younger one deep in his optics. ~ _I came back out of recharge after Ratchet moved you from my berth that solar-cycle, I was worried about you and I watched as you collapsed to your knee-joints and allowed Ratchet to hold you. _~

Both twins continued to silently stare at each other and Ratchet could feel the tension in the air.

~ _I also watched him climb onto the berth beside you to comfort you. It gave me a sense of security knowing that you were being taken care of. _

_Now tell me that that's in his line of duty!_ ~

The aggression slowly drained from Sunstreaker. ~ _I didn't realise that you'd seen that _~

Sunstreaker was now at a loss for words. After Sideswipe had almost deactivated, his twin had been worried for the welfare of him and now here he was denying something Sideswipe wanted, and if he admitted, he wanted too.

Casting his processor back to the moments he sat cradling Sideswipe in his arms, playing that song to him to try and let him know how he felt, he had promised that he would give his twin more, yet here he was, being his usual difficult self. Sunstreaker frowned at his thoughts. He was not being purposefully difficult, in the past he had always wanted the medic as much as his twin had. Pit, they spent stellar-cycles trying to get his attention but right now, he felt it was too soon.

Although he and Sideswipe had always shared a relationship that ran much deeper than sibling love, he had never expressed himself wholly to his twin in the past. Sideswipe had done most of the giving and now Sunstreaker needed the time to make up for that before he could bring another into the relationship, but how could he deny the face that now looked at him full of love and hope. Maybe this was the way he thought, if he did this for Sideswipe, and for himself, maybe it could somehow prove he was worthy of his twins' love.

Getting up, Sunstreaker joined Sideswipe and the medic, sitting down at Ratchet's free side and as the meteor shower passed above them, three faces watched up at the sky in silence.

As the twins sat with their faces turned up to the sky, Ratchet allowed himself to glance over at the golden mech to his left and he studied his face, it was closed to whatever he was thinking or feeling. He then glanced at the red mech on his right and his face looked full of hope. _'Hope for what?'_ he pondered.

He was right where he wanted to be, with the two mechs he had slowly grown to love and he wondered if, and how, to tell them. He believed that Sideswipe would be easy enough but Sunny, well he was a different story.

Although both had been let down countless times in their lives before ending up in the gladiator rings, Sunstreaker seemed to carry the burden of those times and even though the two different personalities seemed to be a perfect blend, he wished that there was something he could do to stop Sunstreaker carrying the hurt.

As the meteor shower continued above them, Ratchet pulled up old memories of the time back on Cybertron, when Optimus Prime first brought the twins into his med bay. Ratchet had not been able to believe his optics when he saw the state of the one he later discovered was Sunstreaker and after being told by his Prime that Megatron had all but beaten the life out of him for refusing to allow his twin to fight alone, he had struggled to quell the anger inside of him. It was during this time that the Medic learnt of the split spark and what this meant, he also learnt of the nature of these twins. Back then he knew that they would be a handful for the Autobots but he also knew deep down inside, that they were something special.

Looking back at Sunstreaker, the CMO deliberated on how he would find the words to tell him how he could trust him not to let him down, either of them and he recalled a song he once heard the humans on the Ark playing. It had made him think of the twins at the time so he had stored it in his memory banks, where it had remained un-accessed since and now he felt it would express himself in a way that his own words never could.

Not knowing how Sunstreaker would react to what he was about to do, he opened a comm-link between him and the twins. Sideswipe opened his link without hesitation but Sunstreaker frowned as he received the request. Ratchet expected to be rejected by the mech but Sunstreaker looked at him and suddenly the link opened.

Not wasting any further time, Ratchet downloaded the words he wanted to share across the connection.

**:-When the rain is blowing in your face, and the whole world is on your case, I could offer you a warm embrace, to make you feel my love-:**

Sunstreaker shifted his frame as the words came through and he intently watched the medic watching him, both trying to gauge each other.

**:-When the evening shadows and the stars appear, and there is no one there to dry your tears, I could hold you for a million years, To make you feel my love-:**

Sideswipe now also watched his twin, sharing his thoughts through their bond. He was a little unsure himself of what Ratchet was doing, what he was telling them but he reassured Sunstreaker that it was okay.

**:-I know you haven't made your mind up yet, but I would never do you wrong, I've known it from the moment that we met, no doubt in my mind where you belong-:**

Ratchet's optics, wavering with his own uncertainty of what he was doing, remained on the younger twin but as he felt Sideswipe settle his helm on his shoulder, he moved a servo across the ground until it came into contact with Sideswipe's own. This was his little way of reassuring the older twin that his feelings ran deeply for the both of them.

**:-I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue, I'd go crawling down the avenue, no there's nothing that I wouldn't do, to make you feel my love-:**

Sunstreaker's spark stirred as he listened to the words, words that filled the craving he always had inside of him to know that someone else out there could possibly love him nearly as much as Sideswipe did.

**:-Though storms are raging on the rolling sea, and on the highway of regrets, though winds of change are throwing wild and free, You ain't seen nothing like me yet-:**

This sentiment led the twins to tentatively believe that as cantankerous as the old medic was, with the love and care he was offering, nothing could touch them again that maybe, they could finally feel safe in his arms.

Ratchet needed the twins to know that he did not fear loving them. Yes he was nervous of their rejection but he fully embraced all that they were.

**:-I could make you happy, make your dreams come true, nothing that I wouldn't do, go to the ends of the Earth for you, to make you feel my love-:**

Sideswipe lifted his helm to look at Sunstreaker as he felt his brother's feelings slowly unravel over the bond. He knew Sunstreaker was hesitantly accepting what Ratchet was trying to tell them but he was a long way from letting go and in response Sideswipe unleashed the full extent of his love for his twin at the same time, letting him know that it was okay to be hesitant.

Knowing that now he had fully exposed his feelings, there was no going back for the medic and he warily looked at first Sunstreaker and then Sideswipe and hoped that that the fully understood what they were being told. Either his feelings would be reciprocated or what strange trust the medic had with these two, would be shattered. Holding the air in his vents, he waited for some sort of response from either of them

It touched the twin's sparks to discover that Ratchet felt this way about them. They had both spent so many stellar-cycles hoping that he would at least notice them, never daring to think he could love them. Stretching an arm across the white frame between them, a black servo reached for a golden one and as they clasped tightly onto each other, both mechs laid a helm on each of Ratchet's shoulders.

This contact was a small gesture by most mechs standards but Ratchet understood the enormity of it. When Sunstreaker had broken down in the med bay, he had not had any control over what he was doing but now he had full control and he had not rejected the medics feelings, neither of them had and his spark swelled with the love he harboured for them.

As the last of the meteor shower passed over them, the three sat in silence and three sparks beat deep inside each frame. Each spark had suffered damage in their own way but now this was a chance for them to heal as they fought to express the feelings held within.


	3. Chapter 3

September 2012: When formatting this story to post on LiveJournal, I spotted mistakes that I could not leave so I have reposted chapters 1 – 3 with minor tweaks. Chapter 4 is in slowly being written

**A/N **This chapter is not supposed to exist but at the end of last year, I had a brief discussion with a reader and I said would look at drafting a chapter 3 to see what I could come up with. This chapter was supposed to be my attempt at writing something fluffy however, it was difficult to jump from chapter 2 into something too fluffy without having Sunstreaker's acceptance of what Ratchet was offering.

**Warnings:** Mech pairings (nothing heavy). As for how far the relationship between the twins actually goes, that is for you to decide, depending on your preference.

**Disclaimer:** This is a piece of fiction. No harm was intended in the creation of this work. All rights belong to the original creators.

_Twin Bond ~ text ~_  
>Comm Link :- text -:<br>Solar-cycle - day  
>Deca-cycle - week<br>Stellar-cycle - year

* * *

><p>It was the morning-cycle after the medic and the twins had, what Sideswipe had called, their<em> date<em>. It had been a pleasant enough evening even if the nervous energy that emanated from all three mechs, wrapped itself around them, occasionally stilting the air.

Once the meteor shower was over, Sunstreaker had remained fairly quiet, only engaging in conversation when he was asked a direct question. Sideswipe actually gave Bluestreak a run for his credits and chatted nonstop and Ratchet, apart from wondering what the punch line was to what he still occasionally could not help but think was a prank, was overwhelmed that the twins should wish to spend time with him in this way.

He felt he could spend the rest of eternity sat here with these two and he relished in studying their mannerisms from up close instead of from afar.

Although some considered, well a lot considered Sunstreaker to be out of control, Ratchet knew that the maniacal front liner was controlled beyond anyone's imagination, if he were not then most would probably be deactivated by now and if they had not had their frames disassembled by the golden warrior, they would be begging for his mercy. Stellar-cycles of silently watching the twins told the medic that this mech's thoughts and feelings ran deep and he hoped that one solar-cycle, Sunstreaker would let him in completely and allow him to sooth some of the burden he carried with him.

Despite the fact that the younger of the twins could run his mouth off, making Cliffjumper and Gears sound like nothing more than a pair whining younglings with his colourful array of vocabulary and the venom at which he powered his words, he actually did not say a lot in general, preferring to keep himself to himself between battles, until either another Autobot irked him or his over-energetic twin roped him into one of his pranks. But Ratchet had seen that there was another side to this mech, a side that required nurturing.

Now Sideswipe was the total opposite to his twin on the outside but his youngling type behaviour hid the equally dark and ruthless past they shared. The ark was split in their perception over him, some secretly enjoyed his antics and the light relief that they brought amidst the war and the rest of the crew, they just thought him plain glitched and reckless.

Ratchet had learnt over the time he had known him that Sideswipe was an out and out attention seeker but he always knew that there was more behind this, not that it stopped the white and red mech from throwing a wrench or three at the dark helm in response to his latest prank. Some solar-cycles, when watching him, the medic caught sight of the serious side of the red hellion, a side where he thought about things just as deeply as his golden twin then all of a sudden, a mech would come by and interrupt his thoughts and Ratchet would see that familiar smirk cross his lips as a plan formulated in his processor.

Ratchet sat in his office and thought about the night-cycle and he worried that revealing his feelings as he had, may have been a bit too much for them. For him it was long overdue but the time they spent together was the first real opportunity that the medic had to tell the fearsome front liners what he felt for them and although they had approached him, well Sideswipe had approached him, Ratchet was aware that he would have to tread carefully where the twins were concerned.

As he sat in silence, cherry red digits beat a rhythm on the med bay office desk…dadum…dadum…dadum…

He was feeling restless or was it nervous? Unable to decide he settled on restless and nervous, there was no point in denying how he felt and frankly he was worried that in the cold light of a new Earth morning, the twins may decide to reject him.

Dadum…dadum…dadum…

Annoying himself and unable to concentrate on the reports he needed to complete, Ratchet made his way into the empty med bay looking for something to clean or tidy but as usual, when not dealing with the aftermath of battle, the place was sterile and uncluttered. As his optics wandered over his pristine surroundings he caught his distorted reflection in the metallic surface of the med bay wall and his spark sank.

"What could they possibly see in me? Not only am I more than twice their age, they're far too beautiful for the likes of me!" He vocalised

"And you are not too bad looking yourself Ratchet!"

The medic was not expecting a response to his comment and startled, he turned on his pedes to confront his visitor. "Wheeljack, how the slag did you manage to creep in here like that?" Irritated at being caught wallowing in some sort of self-pity.

The engineer's helm fins flashed in his amusement as he offered a cube of energon. "I thought we could have a catch up over midday energon on say, how your _date_ went with the twins."

A shadow crossed Ratchet's optics and in a disguise to hide his worry he snarked, "It was not a _date_, it was just three mechs sharing some time together!"

The mask Wheeljack wore hid his smirk but his fins betrayed him.

Ratchet took the cube proffered to him whilst he glared at his friend before his annoyance subsided. He found that he actually wanted to talk; he needed someone to tell him it was not as bad as he thought it was and Wheeljack was one of only two mechs the medic would open up to.

Gesturing for Wheeljack to take one of the chairs next to a berth, the medic sat opposite his old friend and vented. "Oh I don't know 'Jacks, the…_date_…itself was fine. Sunny was quiet, then again I didn't really expect anything different, Sides seemed eager but I'm afraid I may've gone…er...a little _too_ fast for them."

Wheeljack canted his helm and studied Ratchet's face. He was the only one who knew of the medic's feelings for the Arks resident maniacs, well he and First Aid after Ratchet's little glitch during Sideswipe's surgery, and he always believed that they felt the same about the surly white and red mech. He was wholly convinced, as were one or two other mechs that had bothered to take the time to observe the front liners behaviour, this is why the medic was the recipient of so many of their pranks, they simply wanted his attention. Well they had it now so the engineer hoped that they did not throw it back in his friends face.

Unable to glean any information from the medic's face, eventually Wheeljack asked. "Why do you think that?" Then chuckling he added "You didn't tell them you love them, did you?"

Ratchet's face plates heated in his embarrassment and he just about mumbled. "Maybe…in so many words."

Had the CEO's face mask not been closed, Ratchet would have seen his mouth gape in shock before a bemused grin spread across his face. He had only been joking when he asked, not thinking for one nano-klik that Ratchet would actually declare himself to the twins so soon.

"Shut it 'Jacks!"

"What!? I didn't say a word."

"You didn't need to; your fins said it all!"

Wheeljack gently vented, sometimes he wished his feelings or reactions were not so visible for everyone to see. Composing himself he asked, "Okay, so what did you actually say to them and how did they react?"

The CMO took a deep vent as he considered whether he should admit to what he did but he really did want Wheeljack's opinion, so he proceeded to tell his friend of the events of the evening and how he expressed his feelings towards the twins.

Once he finished, it took Wheeljack a few breems before he could answer. "Well, being on Earth has certainly opened us up to a few strange habits and humans do like to express themselves through songs. Though I'm guessing it isn't so much how you did it that bothers you but more that you told them."

Ratchet gave a wary nod, sure that Wheeljack was about to tell him what a fool he had been.

"Okay, aside from the words in the song you chose, you didn't _actually_ tell them that you love them but now they know you feel _something_ towards them. You know the twins Ratch, they're hardly short in coming forward if they don't like something!"

"But what if they're too embarrassed to talk to me? Sure, I didn't send them running at the time but now they have time to think about things…" He tapered off. His spark felt heavy in his chest, he could not bear it if they rejected him now.

Seeing how unsettled Ratchet was over the situation, Wheeljack leant forward and placed a servo on his shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance. "Hey, it'll be okay. Now pull yourself together, you're _Ratchet the Hatchet_ and you've a persona to maintain."

Wheeljack's optics danced with amusement as the medic scowled at his use of the twin's nickname for him and he withdrew his servo in order to brace himself for the infamous wrench.

"You are this close to being reformatted 'Jacks, this close!"

Chuckling at the threat, Wheeljack then became a little more serious. "So what has happened for you to think that between the night-cycle and now, the twins have had a change of spark?

Ratchet knew he was just about to sound exactly like Spike had done after his first date with Carly but he could not stop himself. Clearing his vocaliser in an attempt to dispel his embarrassment, he replied, "Well half of the day-cycle has passed and I haven't so much as seen a scrap of them, it's as though they're avoiding me."

The engineer felt the CMO's indignity and to put him out of his misery, he informed him, "You do realise they are out on patrol? Their shift-cycle started before most woke from recharge."

The medic shuttered his optics at his stupidity. He had been so worried about being rejected that he did not even consider the obvious when the twins had failed to make their presence known. They had not mentioned anything about an early cycle-shift, then again maybe they thought he would send them away early to get some recharge.

As the two friends finished their energon, Ratchet tried to push his thoughts to the back of his processor; he knew he was being irrational. _'What the pit have those hellions done to me!?'_ He wondered.

Pulling his friend from his thoughts, Wheeljack gently vocalised. "Look Ratch, we've all been there at some point. Look at how many times I was sure I had done something to put Blue off but if it is meant to be, it will be."

Nodding dumbly, the CMO berated himself for acting so needy. He was millions of stellar-cycles older than the twins, he had dated many a mech in his younger stellar-cycles and he had never worried about whether or not he had made a fool of himself. But the twins were different. Not only did they have a tough façade that needed to be gently coaxed away, they had been broken more times than he cared to think about. Plus they were a real servo-full, they came as a pair and most of the time they were as opposite as the Earths night and day, Sunstreaker being the night and Sideswipe the day.

His thoughts were interrupted as Wheeljack spoke up again. "As much as I would love to stay and chat, I have explosions to create!"

This earned the engineer a glare from the medic.

Rising from his seat Wheeljack added "Ratchet, I really don't think you have anything to worry about. I just know those two are more smitten with you than they let on!"

This time Ratchet shot his friend a grateful glance.

* * *

><p><em>~ Come on Sunny, he told us how he feels about us so at least we know we aren't barking up the wrong tree! ~<em>

_~ You spend far too much time with Bumblebee and the humans Sides, what does that even mean? ~_

A few nano-seconds of silence came back across the bond before Sideswipe answered.

_~ It's an idiomatic expression in English, which is used to suggest a mistaken emphasis in a specific context. The phrase is an allusion to the mistake made by dogs when they believe that have chased a prey up a tree, but the game may have escaped by leaping from one tree to another. The phrase means to mistake one's object, or to pursue the wrong course to obtain it. In other words, 'if you are barking up the wrong tree' it means that you have completely misunderstood something or are totally wrong…according to Wikipedia…and we now know we aren't 'barking up the wrong tree!' ~_

Sunstreaker would have smacked his brother around his helm had he not been in his alt. mode_. ~ I wasn't really that interested Sides ~_ Then as an afterthought he asked_, ~ Is there anything you haven't downloaded from the internet? ~_

Sideswipe chucked. ~ _You really should see some of the content I have filed in my processor, it would make your optic circuits short… ~_ A spike of annoyance through their bond interrupted him from the line he was taking so he became serious again. _~ Anyway, back to the subject in servo…why do you still have reservations about Hatchet? ~_

Sunstreaker sped up and pulled ahead of his twin.

_~ Sunny, you know I can keep pace with you so you may as well answer me. ~ _Sideswipe was not going to let this go. He wanted them to spend more time with Ratchet but at the same time, he did not want to force Sunstreaker into something if he did not want it but if he was going to have to walk away from pursuing the relationship, he wanted to know why.

The golden Lamborghini growled _~ I wasn't aware I said I still had reservations! ~_

_~ Then what's the problem? ~_

The younger of the two scanned the area for life forms and once he was sure that none occupied the area, he found a small clearing hidden off the side of the road which he led his twin to. Once shielded from the road, he transformed and turned to face his red counterpart and waited for him to transform too.

"The _problem_ as you put Sides, is when you were off-line, when I thought it was the end I made a promise if you pulled through, we pulled through, that I'd show you exactly what you truly mean to me, that I wouldn't hold back any more. How am I supposed to do that if there's someone else involved?"

"But I already know what I mean to you, I always have. Even during the times you haven't outwardly shown it but if for some reason you feel the need to prove it, that doesn't mean we can't have Hatchet in our lives. It's what we've wanted for a long time and I thought after last night-cycle, maybe you were willing to give things a go." Sideswipe pouted at his twin, he knew Sunstreaker could never resist his pouting.

Sunstreaker turned away from his other half and looked for something else to occupy his vision.

"You know I can feel there's something else bothering you so you may as spill!"

Slight annoyance colouring his tone, the more surly of the two turned back around and looked his twin in his optics. "Fine, you're right! I still have reservations. Do you honestly believe if we let him in he won't run? That once he knows what truly runs through our processors that he won't turn his back on us in a nano-klik."

Sideswipe considered Sunstreaker's words and looking him directly back in his optics he firmly answered, "No!"

Sunstreaker felt his twins' firm belief through their bond and he really wished he shared it.

"Hatch…Ratchet knows who we are and he hasn't turned away from us yet, why would he now?"

Optics now pleaded with Sunstreaker and again the golden mech wondered how he could deny his twin this? He very much wanted to believe that Ratchet was not like every other mech in their lives, out for what they could get before leaving the two of them broken and alone again and if he was honest, the older mech had never done anything to the imply this would be his intention but the tough front liner still needed convincing.

Before either of them had a chance to say anything further the roar of jet engines flew overhead, but these were no ordinary jet engines; these were the six engines that made up the two Decepticon seeker trines.

"Slag, how the pit did we not sense their approach?" Sunstreaker was already pulling his weapon from subspace and breaking cover so he could get a shot at the passing fliers.

Sideswipe was too slow to stop him. "Sunny, wait! We're out numbered and out gunned against _two_ trines, we need back up! 'Sides, they haven't seen us so maybe they'll pass without attacking."

His words were lost in the shower of ammo that left Sunstreaker's gun and the strain of jet engines as they quickly changed their course of direction, heading straight for them.

As their shadows fell over the twins, Starscream's familiar vocaliser shrilled in the air. "You two really are as foolish as you would lead us to believe. Do you honestly think the two of you can take on the six of us? For once we were just out stretching our wings but if it's a fight you are spoiling for, then I'm sure we can accommodate you!"

Sunstreaker hollered at them in challenge. "Bring it on you fraggers!"

Sideswipe knew there would be no calling his twin down once a challenge had been made so he commed the Ark for back up and braced himself for a fight.

* * *

><p>Wheeljack never made it out of the med bay as the door cycled opened and several pedes clattered in. Over the sound of metallic pede-steps on the floor, Sideswipe's vocals could be heard berating his twin.<p>

"What the frag were you thinking of Sunny? We were outnumbered, two of us six of them. _Six!_ Not even we're that good! We'd like to think we are but even we've our limits…"

Sideswipe's words faded in the back of Ratchet's processor as he took in the scene in front of him. Sunstreaker was being supported by Ironhide and Trailbreaker, half of one of his legs in Sideswipe's servos with sparks flickering and energon leaking from the part of his frame where the appendage was missing, the rest of his armour torn and emblazoned with energon and scorch marks.

On seeing the sorry state Sunstreaker was in, the first image that popped into the medic's processor was of the last time the twins were in the med bay, after the explosion that so nearly claimed their lives. His worry about whether or not they felt the same as him dissipated as his wrath took hold. "What the slag have you two been up to now and how the pit did Sunstreaker lose part of his leg?"

"Seekers!" Ironhide intoned.

"What? Where was the alarm to warn us of a Decepticon attack?"

Ironhide chucked. "Calm yer diodes Ratch, for once the Decepticreeps weren't actually attackin', well not attackin' first anyway. The twins 'ere were out on patrol and they saw 'Screamer fly by with the rest of his trine and the Cone'eads. Sides says they weren't spotted but ol' trigger 'appy 'ere opened fire on 'em!"

Sunstreaker growled at Ironhide and ignored Sideswipe who was still giving him what for.

"Why the frag didn't you call for backup before you attacked, if fact, why did you attack at all?...Actually, scrap that, I don't want to know!" Ratchet growled himself now.

"Just fix me the slag up!" Sunstreaker snarled; his pain marring his face as Ironhide and Trailbreaker lowered him onto a med berth.

Stalking over to the berth, Ratchet cuffed the younger mech around the audial fin before positioning his helm so that he could open a panel and access his pain receptors, cutting the feed to his damaged leg. With another growl, Sunstreaker shot the medic a grateful look.

Turning to the red twin hovering behind him, Ratchet took the rest of the damaged leg from him. "If you're okay then I suggest you get back on patrol before Prowl chews your audial."

Sideswipe remained where he was. "As if we aren't already going to get it in the neck anyway, we picked a fight with the seekers whilst unprovoked!"

Ironhide approached his side "No point makin' it worse Sides, c'mon now, I'll finish patrol with ya."

The medic started to push the younger mech out of his med bay. "Now get out of here before you end up on the berth beside your twin!"

A devious look crossed Sideswipe's optics in response, sending a shudder down Ratchet's spinal struts before he pointed at the door, his optics silently commanding the front liner to leave.

Finally Ratchet was left alone with his patient, the air hanging uncomfortably silent as he started temporarily closing off leaking energon lines to Sunstreaker's knee-joint.

Unexpectedly the CMO received a private comm. link from Sideswipe. :- I'm busy Sideswipe -:

Sideswipe ignored the comment. :- Hey Ratch, I…um…wondered if you could do something for me, while you've got Sunny there -:

Ratchet did not respond so Sideswipe took this as his cue to continue. :- Talk to him. -:

Confused, the medic asked :- What do you mean? -:

:- As in string a series of words together to make a sentence, out loud so Sunny can hear you. -: The front liner dead panned

:- Sideswipe! -: An unsolicited growl left Ratchet's throat gaining him a frown from Sunstreaker.

A chuckle echoed through the link before the tone became serious again. :- Tell him that you're in this for the long haul. That you're serious about having a relationship with us and…and if we let you in, you won't run, you won't abandon us. -:

Sideswipe himself was now feeling a little unsure after feeding off Sunstreaker's doubts but he was clinging to the words of the song Ratchet shared with them.

Ratchet felt his spark do that familiar dance in his chest but he was not sure if it was as a result of the twin's insecurity or the fact that they still wanted him in their lives, one of them anyway.

:- Ratchet, are you still there? -:

Remembering that Sideswipe was still at the end of the comm. link he pulled himself together. :- I'll see what I can do Sides, now please, get back on patrol. -:

Sunstreaker's optics narrowed as he studied the medic in front of him. "Everything okay?"

Feeling out of sorts, Ratchet grunted and starting working on the twisted metal on Sunstreaker's leg.

A few breems passed before either of the two mechs spoke and it was Sunstreaker who broke the silence. "Sides asked you to talk to me didn't he?"

Taken by surprise at the question, Ratchet only managed to nod his helm as he continued to work.

"So talk, I've nothing else to do. I could shut my off audials of course but for Sideswipe I'll listen."

The white and red mech now looked at Sunsteaker, his spark pounding in its chamber. "And what about you? Do your needs or wants not come into this?"

Golden shoulders shrugged as optics shifted and focused on the ceiling.

Ratchet did not want to push him as he knew doing so, would not garner any results but the silence was becoming too much. "Is this what you want?"

Confused cobalt optics looked back at the medic. "Is_ what_ what I want?"

"Is being involved with me, what you want?"

A mouth was pulled in a small down turn before Sunstreaker looked away again. "Who cares what I want?"

Feeling the tendrils of his spark tug, Ratchet tried not to imagine how many ways this mech had been hurt in his past and he wanted more than anything to sooth those memories. To comfort the golden warrior as he had done so during the night-cycle Sideswipe's life, thus both of their lives, hung in the balance.

"Sideswipe does." He almost whispered, afraid his vocaliser would betray his sorrow and anger at the fact that the twins were given reasons to not trust.

"I know Sideswipe does." Sunstreaker's tone softened as he spoke of his twin before it hardened again. "But no one else does. They all assume they know me but they don't!"

"I care!"

When Sunstreaker remained silent, Ratchet focused his attention on the injured leg again but now optics watched the medic as he worked. Feeling their gaze Ratchet finally looked back up from his work and looked deep into the watching optics. "What I shared with you last night-cycle, I meant every word of it. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you and Sideswipe…including backing off if you need me to."

Hurt appeared in Sunstreaker's optics but it quickly vanished as the younger twin hid it. "You mean you've changed your processor."

"No Sunstreaker, I have not changed my processor but if you need me to step back until you know what you want, I will." Ratchet's vocaliser felt dry and his spark beat heavy. He was offering to back away when it was the last thing he wanted but if Sunstreaker felt out of control, he knew he would lose him anyway.

"Sunstreaker, as much as I want this, I value what trust you have in me as I know you don't give it easily. I don't want to take advantage of that. Sideswipe asked me to tell you that I am in this for the long haul and that I won't abandon you if you let me in, as far as I'm concerned that goes without saying." The medic paused, trying to read Sunstreaker's face but it no longer gave anything away.

Pulling a trolley towards him with the rest of a golden leg on, he started trimming back damaged cables and wires. "You know, I do know what I am getting myself into, this isn't just some whim that has happened over the night-cycle, I have felt this way for a very long time. I know you both have demons, who doesn't thanks to this slag of a war but I know you are haunted by more than most. However I've watched you two ever since we rescued you and though most don't see it, don't care to see it, I've seen the changes in you and I've caught glimpses of the mech I think you used to be, before the rings claimed you."

An uneasy silence shrouded them again. Ratchet wondered if he had said the wrong thing but as he took a quick sideways glance at Sunstreaker, his beautiful face remained impassive.

Just as he wondered if the conversation was now over, Sunstreaker vocalised. "You do realise that sounds kinda freaky, telling me you've been watching us. Not counting the four millennia in stasis, that's over two millennia of watching, some would call that stalking"

The CMO had already dropped his optics back to the leg in his servos so missed the smirk that accompanied the comment, busying himself with creating new connections between the severed cables and lines. He silently cursed his vocaliser for running away with itself.

"I sometimes watch you too."

Cherry servos stilled and a white helm shifted to look at Sunstreaker again, trying to gauge whether or not he was serious.

"Sometimes, around the Ark and other times, when I'm stuck in here, I watch you work. I see how you really care for us all and I wonder who cares for you?"

Ratchet's spark melted at this. He wanted so much for this mech to care for him, for both Sunstreaker and his twin to care for him, as he would them but he daren't hope too much.

The front liner now pulled his optics away from the medic and he looked back up at the ceiling. He was bored with talking now, as far as he was concerned he had vocalised far too much already and Ratchet knew this.

As the medic worked, Sunstreaker turned the Ratchet's words over in his helm. Ratchet had always been there for them, even though he was witness to their many violent outbursts in his and Sideswipe's early solar-cycles with the Autobots, whilst they tried to settle into their new lives. Over the millennia, if there was one thing that Sunstreaker had learnt from his observations during his many med bay visits, was that Ratchet may be gruff on the outside but that certainly was not who the medic was, that his gruffness was just another layer of armour, pretty much like how his own outward temperament was his protective layer to his soul. Maybe it was time he shared his brother's belief in Ratchet's intentions towards them.

Picking up the repaired leg, Ratchet laid it on the berth and silently connected the cables before reattaching the appendage. His processor buzzed with all kinds of thoughts and he could not choose which line to follow. He needed Sunstreaker to realise that he wasn't some fickle mech that, once the going got tough he would get going. No, he loved the twins, had loved them for such a long time and with that love came the want to care for them, to be there for them when they needed him.

The silence was unexpectedly broken by the golden mech again.

"Should I be worried?"

"Eh?"

"Should...I...be...Worried?

Frowning in question, Ratchet met Sunstreaker's optics again. "Worried about what?"

"Well, whenever you work in silence, the prognosis isn't normally good…so, should I be worried?"

A deep laugh erupted from the medic, it was not heard often enough and Sunstreaker struggled to keep a small smile from forming.

"If you'd prefer me to string a bunch of expletives together I'm sure I can accommodate."

"I'd rather you talk to me." Sunstreaker may be all talked out himself but that did not mean he wanted Ratchet to stop.

Gently the medic asked. "What is it you need to hear me say Sunstreaker?"

Optics flickered in thought for a few nano-kliks before Sunny responded. "You know, eventually you will _actually_ have to tell us you love us, not in some song either."

A small wrench dropped onto the berth and a servo quickly grabbed for it whilst its owner tried to compose himself. This really was the last thing he expected to hear and now he was feeling just a little unsure. Not unsure of how he felt, just whether it was the right thing to do, telling Sunstreaker now. Then again it could be just what the front liner needed, to hear someone tell him they love him.

He needed a few breems to think so after checking the final joint connections, the CMO instructed his patient to sit on the edge of the berth. "I need to check your nerve responses after I reactivate your pain receptors; it's going to be uncomfortable."

A snort echoed in the quiet as Sunstreaker sat his strong but contoured frame up on the edge of the berth. "I've suffered worse!"

With one servo on a golden leg, digits tweaking at nerve cables running through the damaged area and the other servo working on the pain receptors in Sunstreaker's helm, Ratchet stood close enough to feel Sunstreaker's EM field change. Trying very hard to ignore it, he tweaked a few more lines before closing the panel on the side of his helm.

Before he had chance to remove his servo for the injured leg, a golden servo covered his own and with his spark racing, he pulled his optics up to one of the faces he loved to look at whenever he had the chance. There was a new look in the cobalt optics as they looked back at him and his vents became shallow but he never had the chance to figure out what it was he saw as a strong arm snaked its way around his back, pulling him in close just as lips crashed down on his own.

At first there was no rhythm to the kiss, just urgency but then it settled down. Sunstreaker relished the taste of the medic and as the sentiment of the kiss between them deepened, he allowed himself to become lost in it. He wanted to feel what the medic had been telling him, feel the words that Ratchet had shared with him and his twin the night-cycle before and when he found what he was looking for, he clung onto it.

Ratchet, caught off guard found his actions stilted for a few nano-kliks but as his processor registered what was happening, he managed to gain some control and relay some of what he felt. He needed the insecure mech to realise that his feelings ran beyond what words could relay and then maybe the tough exterior would soften a little, just enough to let him in. He felt Sunstreaker relax into the kiss and finally he could allow himself to enjoy it.

* * *

><p>Whilst back out on patrol, Sideswipe had kept tabs on his twins' emotions, he wanted to make sure that he didn't become distressed and he was surprised that Sunstreaker seemed to be calm. There were a few emotional spikes, which wasn't unusual for the golden front liner but nothing Sideswipe needed to worry about.<p>

Having finished his patrol and filing his reports he made his way to the med bay, he wanted to see Sunstreaker before Prowl tracked him down to chew his audial. In fact, he was surprised that Prowl wasn't there to greet him on his return. As he swung around the corner and into the corridor that led to the med bay, he felt an emotional surge from his twin and he smiled before he even reached the med bay doors.

Peering through the window he watched on as Ratchet and Sunstreaker embraced in their kiss. He felt a little disappointed that it had happened without him but if this was what Sunny needed then he would gladly let him have this moment.

Before he left them to it he sent a pulse of love to Sunstreaker, adding, _~ Love you Sunny! ~_

Cobalt optics flickered on as Sunstreaker pulled out of the kiss and he looked at his twin through the door window. _~ Why don't you join us? ~_

Sideswipe considered it for a few nano-kliks before telling him _~ This is your moment Sunny, you can both make it up to me again. ~_

Sunstreaker smirked. _~ Gladly ~_ And he returned his own feelings of love.

Content to feel his twin in some sort of relaxed state and to feel that Sunstreaker now seemed to share at least a little of the faith he had in their medic's feelings, Sideswipe left them to it and making his way to the wash racks, he allowed himself a little glimmer of hope that they were just about to embark on the rest of their lives.

Ratchet was completely bowled over by what had just happened and when Sunstreaker had pulled out of the kiss, he lent his fore-helm on Sunstreaker's in order to steady himself whilst he caught his vents.

Catching the smirk, he assumed that it was for him. "What's so funny?"

Deciding not to let on the smirk was for Sideswipe's benefit, the golden hellion intoned with arched optic ridges, "Better than you imagined?"

With his face plates heating, the medic pulled his helm back so Sunstreaker could not feel his embarrassment. It had been but Ratchet was not about to let on that he had imagined this moment, time and time again, so instead he replied. "You really are incorrigible Sunstreaker!"

"But you love me!" This time the smirk that quirked on his lip was intended for Ratchet and before the medic could protest, Sunstreaker pulled him back into a brief kiss before gently pushing him away so he could lie back down, hands cradled behind his helm. With a sudden glint in his deep cobalt optics, he demanded, "Now get your servos on my armour and make it beautiful again!"

Raising an optic ridge in silence, Ratchet's processor quickly ran wild but he shook his helm to dispel the thoughts. _'One step at a time Ratchet_.' He thought to himself. _'One Step at a time!_'

* * *

><p><strong>AN** So as I said, not really very fluffy but Poor Sides was left out, though happily on his part but I guess I've left the story open to a possible chapter 4. Who knows! ^^


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